The Reader (Completed)

The Reader

Transferring schools halfway through your first year is never going to be easy, Kongpob decides, as the soft spoken woman at Student Services records his number. She asks him multiple questions about the amount of support he will need and the ways in which it will be most useful, making notes about the books he will need and the access he requires.

Eventually, she asks for his email address so she can forward him his schedule and sends him on his way.

She's clearly used to meeting all types of students and doesn't bat an eye at any of his questions, so he makes sure he covers all eventualities before he makes space for the person with the pointed cough who has been waiting, mostly patiently, behind him the whole time.

When he's finished, he heads back to his dorm and collapses on his bed, relaxing into the insanely soft sheets. For a moment, he runs his fingers over the duvet and wonders what his mother imagined as she chose them for him. Wonders if she picked them out for comfort or design.

Clearly, the design aspect is going to be wasted on him.. but she might be imagining someone else seeing them he supposes.. and for a moment, Kongpob let's himself imagine that.. having someone in his intimate space.

It sends tingles of excitement through him for a moment, and then he reminds himself that he's joining the school halfway through the year and he'll have missed all the first year bonding activities - making a friend who might want to visit his room could prove difficult.

More so because of Kongpob's tendency to panic in most social situations.. which he supposes is acceptable considering..

Oh well he thinks as he snuggles further into his bed, he'll need to mostly focus on his studies anyway. His disability means that he has to pay extra attention, and his busy schedule will include homework support after his long day of classes too. He might not have time to invite friends to visit him in his room, if he makes any...

It's not long before Kongpob is fast asleep, body relaxing as he releases all his worries and let's himself melt into his new, comfy bed..

X

On the first day, after a trying day of slotting himself into his lectures and classes, trying to catch up, Kongpob's reader is a gruff voiced young man who hurtles through the texts at lightning speed.

He barely gives Kongpob the chance to ask questions or to comprehend before he's onto the next part and Kong is scrambling to keep up.

When their allotted hour is up, the guy rushes from the place with a mumbled 'bye', leaving Kongpob with a stack of books that he can't possibly hope to reshelve alone.

Luckily, one of the Library assistants spots him and offers her help and Kongpob promises himself that this won't happen again.

Back in his dorm, he sends a strongly worded email to Student Services, and listens as his computer dictates their reply, that they'll have another reader for him the next day and will make sure it doesn't happen again.

Kongpob notes the date in his diary and settles into bed, mentally preparing himself for round two, determined that he'll at least finish something from his homework before the weekend comes around and his mother forces him to come home as she's threatened.

X

After classes the next day, he waits patiently for his reader to meet him at the library. Whoever is coming is already 10 minutes late and Kongpob is sick of sitting at the same table, unable to leave in case his reader arrives and they don't recognize him.

He's just about to send another email to Student Services when there's a brief commotion nearby before a pleasant voice inquires if he is Kongpob?

He assures the voice that he is and then there's a longish pause, during which he assumes the young man is holding out a hand for him to shake before he seems to come to (all five of) his senses and apologises.